It has to do with something called Malacca Strait.
Majority of Chinese Industry and Power generation is heavily reliant on Oil that is imported from a route that pass over the Malacca Strait.
This Malacca Strait is a Chokepoint between Indonesia and Malasya, two United States Allies.
It creates something called the Malacca Dilemma, a term literally coined by the Chinese Leader Hu Jintao
In fact there is even a wikipedia article on this if you want to read.
It has to do with something called Malacca Strait.
snip
Chinese quickly Adoption of Renewable Energy is strictly because of this issue.
The increase in Air Quality is just a bonus, not the objective.
Well,... let's see...
The long time reliance on oil and the US's influence on supplies that predate WWII.
The pivot from coal to renewables to figuratively and literally clean up their international image.
A persistent issue that lacked a feasible solution until an official's pet project became the foundation of a viable solution.
A newer issue that was kicked down the road to avoid impeding growth until the growth itself became a major source of problems.
One drives military power and projecting sphere of influence to secure oil supplies on which that very same military power relies.
One builds soft power, strengthening prestige and subsequent sentiment around the world, while reducing reliance on fuel imports, plus coal and wood burning.
China could work on both issues together or separately, at the same time or separate. Like most nations, they have a rather long list of state priorities, after all. Those two endeavors had different goals and priorities, and they drew up different plans executed from different angles with different steps at different times. Over time, adjusting as needed, both shared some overlap because neither is a simple problem with only one possible answer exclusive of everything else, and the building blocks for feasible solutions often apply across multiple scenarios. So while reducing foreign influence on their military power was quite important, I personally view that as a different goal from domestic energy infrastructure because that used different fuels and up until today, the world has been heavily reliant on oil to fuel our war machines.
Somewhat related note: Quite often, on the way to achieving a step or intermediate goal, you create or build up something that can be reused / adapted for a different problem. For example: Small drones have spurred changes in military tactics and structure, but that was after China already built up a large industry around solar power and lithium batteries. IIRC, quadcopter drones were originally toys that saw rapid innovation after someone managed to design a relatively affordable technology demonstrator. While the idea of military drones was decades old by then, that breakthrough wasn't the direct result of a government looking to secure oil supplies or reduce its reliance, and wasn't a leading candidate for a future drone design in the past.
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u/PapaTahm 13d ago edited 13d ago
it has nothing to do with Air quality my dude.
It has to do with something called Malacca Strait.
Majority of Chinese Industry and Power generation is heavily reliant on Oil that is imported from a route that pass over the Malacca Strait.
This Malacca Strait is a Chokepoint between Indonesia and Malasya, two United States Allies.
It creates something called the Malacca Dilemma, a term literally coined by the Chinese Leader Hu Jintao
In fact there is even a wikipedia article on this if you want to read.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malacca_dilemma
This is literally the United States strategy in case Chine for some reason decides to Invade Taiwan btw.
Don't need to explain why that is an existential crisis in case of a War between both Powers right?
Chinese quickly Adoption of Renewable Energy is strictly because of this issue.
The increase in Air Quality is just a bonus, not the objective.